How Does A Business Fight A Government Decision?

At some point, almost every business or brand will face uncertainty due to the threat of a government decision against that business. Business owners often find themselves trying to fight off this threat with no experience in dealing with a governmental body and no idea where to start. Furthermore, the proposition of pushing for an outcome from any governmental body can be time consuming, expensive and, at times, overwhelming.

The first step is to assess the potential for damage to your business. At times, rhetoric can cloud judgment. It is important to take an objective look at what the outcome of a potential decision can mean for your business. Is the cost of a prolonged campaign in the public arena able to offset the potential impact? If so, you’re ready to engage with the government and the public.

As a business owner or key stakeholder, you are probably the type of influencer who can make a difference. The key is finding more people who, like you, will be affected by a potential decision and can show empirical data as to why a particular outcome is important. When you have a group of people with a similar goal and a stake in the process, you’ve completed an incredibly important step that some people call engaging the “grassroots.” That’s just inside baseball for people who can easily influence others.

Now that you have pulled together the core of your influencer team, it’s time to build out your organization. Reach out to the people in your network and the network of your other “grassroots.” These people will be the most important part of your campaign and should be engaged in everything from events, to writing letters to decision makers and everything in between.

Always engage with these “grassroots” for not only the tasks mentioned above, but for thoughts and ideas. People on the ground level of any campaign almost always have great ideas about how you can be more efficient in pushing forward toward your goal.

Now that you have an organization of influencers ready to take on the toughest challenges, be ready to lean forward.

What are some strategies or tactics that you have used to influence governmental decisions? Tell us in the comments below, or tweet your responses using the hashtag #mcgblog.